SkinnyHollie is no longer chasing skinny, but striving to be healthy. Inside and out. Watch me transform from an overweight, under-appreciated teacher to a fit, healthy, self-employed momma!

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The "book", and Weight Watchers...

A few people recommended this book to me yesterday in the comments... guess what? I already have it! I ordered it last week, and actually made it through the introduction this weekend. I am going to buckle down and actually start reading it today. I am still reading "The End of Overeating" by David A. Kessler... it's just taking a while. I just don't have time to read like I used to! But I really think that this is imporant, and that this reading can give me insight I need.

I actually have another book on the way, too. It's called "The Diet Cure", and it was recommended by my friend, Greta (BigBottomBlogger).

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Over the past few days I have been compelled to start doing WEIGHT WATCHER'S again. Why? I don't know...? It has worked for me in the past... and I think I have learned so much about proper nutrition and clean eating since the last time I tried it that I could do it the RIGHT way. Any thoughts?

I know I need to start tracking NUMBERS. Writing down my food is good, but if I am going to lose weight I need parameters. And counting points was always easier to me than counting calories. I don't know... I am thinking about it...

I DO know I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. Something is going to change... now. My life is at stake.

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On another tangent... I am still subscribed to several blogs and groups about Medifast. I like to give support - no matter what plan you're on, so I still like to read and comment about people who are having success with the plan (Lyn and Mary Jane, and Maribeth - to just name a few). I have been read

You know what... I am going to skip this tangent. I don't want to knock anyone's plan, so I am going to keep my opinion to myself. EXCEPT to say - If your diet plan is telling you that EXERCISE is bad because it will make you lose less weight or make you gain weight, I don't think that is a good diet plan.

27 comments:

You are doing great with your healthier eating and especially what you're doing with your children, Hollie! I understand wanting some kind of 'plan' to give you lines to stay inside of. But if you do decide to do WW, or any other plan, I think it would be best to commit to doing it for a long period of time (a month or more). It's very hard to judge any plan's effectiveness over just a couple of weeks.

Re: exercise... I have added back in 30 minutes of biking daily and feel great about it! As you know, on Medifast the guideline is up to 45 minutes of vigorous activity/day. Beyond that, switch to a 4&2 plan to meet your metabolic needs.

I personally love WW and, in mu opinion, its the best plan out there. I like and am able to stick with it because it gives me those parameters to work within and constantly teaches me how to make better choices calorie, fiber and protein wise. To me, that's what it is about, learning what portion sizes are, knowing how to use the food to fulfill your desire for something yummy, but also something healthy, and how to allow your self those little indulgences once in a while without feeling like you failed :)

Hey, Lyn... I read on your blog about how you are riding your bike again, and that's awesome. But I do think you have a better handle on health vs. weight loss than some people on the plan. You are content with slow, steady losses, and you are doing this the RIGHT WAY.

And I do know that the folks at Medifast do say that exercise is good... on paper. But the first thing I was told when I started doing minimal exercise (which is 30 - 40 minutes) is that it was stalling my weight-loss. And I read all the time on boards where the TSFL coaches tell people to cut back on exercise so their losses will be better. And I read blogs of people on plan who are afraid to exercise because they don't want to stop losing weight. It's just frustrating to me that Medifast isn't jumping in there to ENCOURAGE people to exercise, or to dispel the myth that exercise is bad while on the plan. When I mentioned the 4 + 1 plan for people who exercise a lot, no one on the FB board even knew what I was talking about. More people should be aware there is another option.

I am not knocking Medifast, truly I am not. Just because it's not for me, doesn't mean that it will not work for other people. You are a great example of how the plan can be great for some people! But not everyone has the insight that you do, Lyn. I truly think you look beyond the weight loss and look for the long-term health benefits. But some just want that scale to move and want to see smaller numbers.

BTW I do Medifast and notice on the Medifast boards there are so many "experts" that are very condescending. I just mind my own business but wow, people get very defensive over very small things. I hate that. It is discouraging.

I think everyone has to find a plan that works for them so if you feel weight watchers is the plan that best fits you then I say go for it. If it seems like it is going to be a plan you can stick to for life then it might be the thing for you.

Also about your tangent. I agree with you about exercise needing to be included in a good plan. I don't know too much about Medifast other than what I have read on some people's blogs. It concerns me to hear that some people on it are choosing to cut exercise for the sake of faster weight loss. Reading Lyn's comment helped clear it up a little for me. Sounds like there is an issue with participants and even the coaches part of the program misinterpreting the role of exercise.

I love clean eating and if I were to join WW I'd follow what used to be Core.I know for myself, I don't do well incorporating too much processed food. It seems to make me crave more food.For the most part, eating clean takes care of the cravings naturally and I'm pretty content with my food.

I think a plan that makes people scared of exercising because they might show smaller losses on the scale is missing the mark of what this is all about ... a lifelong commitment to health and changing bad habits in to what benefits our bodies most. Healthful food and exercise.

What's great about WW's is that if you follow the Filling Foods program (which used to be called Core) you are basically eating clean. And the best part is that you can follow this program, but yet still count points if that's what you need to stay on track.

Like you, I've tried just about everything out there, excluding surgery (and that's only because of financial reasons) and for some reason, I always seem to come back to WW's.

So, I'm taking that as a sign. Now, I just need to figure out how to stick with it for good. ( :

You're so right Hollie. That's why we see people on the Medifast boards who lose all the weight and then gain it all back. No matter WHAT the plan is, if people don't learn healthy habits and really embrace a CHANGE (including exercise), they cannot succeed long term. I had kind of an advantage, seeing how I had already been working on a healthy lifestyle for years before trying Medifast.

Exercise can only speed up fat loss...it is absolutely impossible for it to slow it down!!!

What MIGHT be happening is that the scale seems to not move as fast because some lean muscle is being built. But that is cause for rejoice (and easily measured if you have a body fat monitor). The whole goal of any successful fat loss progam is to lose fat and maintain or build lean muscle. This speeds up metabolism. Exercise WILL NOT SLOW DOWN THE LOSS OF FAT!!!! I absolutely 100% PROMISE!!! It speed it up, it also speeds up the rate that you burn fat even when you are not exercising.

What you weigh matters..but your body fat percentage is a more important number and a more important indicator of how well a weight loss program works. It is too bad they do not track body fat percentage on big shows like "biggest loser" and such...it would really go far in educating people about its importace.

Hollie...it is easy to drop 15 pounds FAST.....but....unless it is done with adequate protein and calories and good exercise..the pounds being dropped are BAD ONES...you do not want to lose your lean muscle or you just truly create a life-long obesity problem. If you want a number to obsess about...make it body fat percentage...not weight.

I too have just gone back to ww books after a long break and am finding the new system fantastic. Admittedly not going to the meetings as thats not for me, but I have found the program does focus on eating healthy natural foods in healthy ammounts. For me its a head space thing. Bring on the veges.. lol. In any case you hang in there. I have found its been easy to follow and your doing pretty much what I am doing already. Good luck.

I seriously have never had the kind of success that I have with weight watchers. It makes it sooo easy and they way the points are calculated makes healthy choices like a reward :) My healthy fiber intake is up ten fold to what it was before.

If you need help with the plan or need support or questions answered Im here for you!

I honestly do not know much about medifast at all but I am in shock that any plan would say to limit exercise. You need exercise not just for the numbers to go down but for your health, period.

That is one thing that is so wrong right now, everyone wants a quick fix. There is no quick fix and losing weight and getting healthy takes a lot of work. If it didn't then wouldn't we all be skinny?

I am loving how exercise makes me feel. Not just how I look but really more how I feel. I have so much more energy and feel like I can conquer the world. I have also noticed that my skin is looking healthier too, always a nice bonus there.

I have thought about WW because I would love the support and going to the meetings. But I do not want to count points. I count my calories and I know that it is not all that different but I just do not want to do points at all. I thought long and hard about it but it is not for me. That is key. Finding what program works for you. Like you said we all have different needs and must find what works for us.

Good luck and keep it going. Your family is very lucky to have you looking out for them.

Hey, Hollie. I ran across your blog kind of accidentally, and skimmed through it. I have been looking for others that are blogging about their weight loss, since I'm doing the same thing. I'm going to spend some time reading your older posts, too. I want to find that friend of yours, "bigbottomblogger", and see what she's doing, too. In the meantime, my blog link is www.caloricallyresponsible.blogspot.com I'm doing really well, and just so you know, when I mention the "Pay-plan" in the beginning of my entries, that is my friend's Medifast plan. She's done okay on it, but it wasn't for me. Keep up the good work! ~~Mary

WW is a fantastic plan! I'm sure you will be very successful on it. I think I have done every diet out there and WW is the only balanced one that I've found. It's working for me I've lost 52 pounds now. I love your blog, thanks for all the inspiration!

I think regardless of what plan you choose it will be a successful one. BUT you have eat the right foods and exercise. I haven't seen anyone NOT lose weight by eating clean and exercising. From reading your Blog WW was working for you and I think you will do great on it. But this time don't let the plan work you but, you work the plan!!! You can do this Holly! Best of Luck!!!

I am a weird person ... I'm doing Weight Watchers AND counting calories at myfitnesspal.com. For me, paying attention to details (all the sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, fat, etc.), really makes me more conscious of what's going in my body. It's almost like it's a game to cut everything down to healthy levels!

That being said, I LOVE Weight Watchers because of the education and the accountability.

Hi there, Hollie. I don't mind that you don't endorse Medifast. I can't say that I think it is a one size fits all plan, and yes, it is true that there are many who believe that exercise while on the plan will slow weight loss. I have found that this plan works for me. I am down 64 lbs. I tried LA weight loss prior to this and lost these same 60 lbs to gain it back. It is a concern I share. I worry about it a lot. I do know that the weight is unhealthy and I needed to do something. I walk for my exercise and I do want to add more. Funny thing, though, the lighter I get the more I feel like moving my body. Anyway, enough about me. I am glad for you as you find some way to get where you need to be. Take care and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Anythign that makes you feel good and not stressed to reach your healthy lifestyle goal is a good thing. :) If WW makes you feel good, then YOU GO GIRL!! I'm realizing that when I feel "stressed" about the road I've chosen to take... I tend to fail. And since I want to focus more on being healthy not the weight (although that's a PLUS) I shouldn't feel stressed of my choice of road. Does that make sense... Really I just wanted to say I'm still here and reading Hollie and you WILL find your way on your road and you're doing a good job. :)

Have you heard of SparkPeople? It might be just what you're looking for. I use it all the time, it tracks your food, fitness, tells you how many calories to consume based on what exercise your doing and so much more. It really has changed the way I have looked at my weight loss journey and I know I can do it now.

Worth checking out since it's free before you head back to Weight Watchers.

I have another book recommendation, if you're interested. The book "Weight Gain: When It's Not Your Fault" is a book written for the millions of overweight people in this country being subjected to subpar treatment for what the medical community itself has called an epidemic. Since graduating from medical school Dr. Lance Dean Ashworth has dedicated his career to helping this segment of the population. He has written in laymen’s terms about the top disorders that plague these people that could have been avoided. This book is written in a way that will allow the reader to take up the fight for their health along with him, and the other relatively small group of doctors who call themselves weight loss physicians.